


Shark Week

by lilaussieauthor, theauthenticme



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cheryl Blossom Needs a Hug, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Menstruation, Period Cramps, Periods, Soft Cheryl, Soft Toni, Toni Topaz Needs a Hug, choni, shark week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 05:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18440102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilaussieauthor/pseuds/lilaussieauthor, https://archiveofourown.org/users/theauthenticme/pseuds/theauthenticme
Summary: Toni looks after Cheryl during her period. Tears and a heart to heart follow.





	Shark Week

**Author's Note:**

> This has been so much fun to write with the wonderful writer that is Lilaussieauthor.
> 
> We'd both had similar prompts about Toni looking after Cheryl when sick/on her period so we wrote this!
> 
> It turned into something much more than that though, I love the heart to heart Cheryl and Toni had, I hope you will too!

 

If there was one thing Cheryl hated, it was feeling sick. When she was young, whenever she felt unwell, Jason would always look after her..sneaking her little treats or even just getting her a wet wash cloth for her head.  
It was something she'd never had from her parents, her loneliness being amplified after Jason died.

Her mother had always berated her for talking about feeling unwell, saying it was just a sign of weakness and that she should keep things to herself so that is what Cheryl always did.

That particular Friday night, she was feeling particularly rough. Her period had come on heavier than normal and the cramps were awful. She was curled up under a blanket on the couch, Toni out working with the Pretty Poisons at Le Bonne Nuit. Cheryl hoped the worst of the pain would have passed by the time Toni got home.

Toni was completely unaware of the whole situation, tending the bar and waiting tables for Veronica for the majority of the evening.

By the time the raven-haired girl finally let her and the other Poisons clock off, she was utterly exhausted, ready to go home and snuggle with her girlfriend under warm covers, maybe make out for a bit before going to sleep for a long time - god, she loved saturdays.

She hopped on her motorbike and sped home, thinking happily of warm cuddles and maybe a cup of tea before bed, smiling softly to herself at the thought of her girlfriend.

  
When she finally got back to Thistle House, she parked the bike and slid her key gently in the lock, unsure of whether the redhead would be awake at the late hour she was returning home.

"Toni?" Cheryl sat up from where she was curled up under her blanket, throwing it off and sitting up. "Is that you babe?"

"Yeah," Toni said gently. "Why are you still awake, hey?"

"Got caught up watching something on the tv, didn't realize the time.." she mumbled, hands running over her pale face. Cheryl hoped Toni wouldn't ask what show as her mind was blank.

Toni nodded, humming a random tune as she stripped from her work clothes and pulled one of Cheryl's hoodies on over her bike shorts and tank top. "Have you had dinner?"

"It's 11.30pm, dinner was hours ago" Cheryl deflected, picking up the blanket she had slung over the couch and folding it up.

"Mm, yeah," Toni said, laughing. "Sorry, lost track of time. Was there any left over for me? I'm famished."

"Oh uh..I uh..I only had some toast, sorry" her cheeks blushed a deep red, not wanting to tell Toni she hadn't had anything at all.

"All good," Toni said, smiling softly at her. "Imma go make some eggs, you want anything?"

"I'm good, thanks though."

Toni frowned slightly. "You okay, Cher?"

"Uhuh. I'm fine" she nodded, her defenses up. It was her auto pilot without even realizing. "Why wouldn't I be TT?"

"I don't know," Toni shrugged. "You just... something's not right." She turned around from the doorway and sat down next to Cheryl, resting her head dramatically on the redhead's shoulder. "Did something happen?"

"N..no" she shook her head. "Everything is _fine_. Nothing's happened."

"Cher," Toni said firmly. "We've been together for _eight months._  You think I can't tell when something's wrong?"

"Probably just tiredness, it's been a long week right?" she forced a smile onto her face.

Toni nodded. "Okay, babe. But I'm here, you know? If you wanna talk. I'm going to go make myself some food, you coming?"

"I think I might head up to bed if you don't mind" she whispered. "You won't be long right?"

Toni bit her lip. She wasn’t quite sure what Cheryl’s deal was, but she was _worried._  “You want me to come up now?”

Cheryl shook her head. "You've worked a long day TT, you need to eat first."

Toni nodded. “Kay. I’ll be up in a minute, okay? Call me if you need anything.”

Cheryl groaned as she stood up, a nasty cramp attacking her uterus as she did so. She tried not to cry out, her mother's spiteful words echoing in the back of her head. If she could just get up the stairs and into bed, she'd hopefully feel better.

Toni watched her go with a frown, deciding to forgo her eggs in favour of a sandwich which she’d be able to prepare quicker, meaning she could get up to Cheryl ASAP. She slathered the bread with peanut butter and jelly, her go-to condiments, and poured a tall glass of water for her girlfriend, balancing it all expertly on her arms and switching the light off, starting to climb up to their bedroom.

Cheryl didn't even bother to take off her hoodie and sweatpants, crawling into bed and curling up tightly, her knees pulled up towards her chest to try and relieve the discomfort she was currently in.

“Cher?” Toni whispered, coming into the room. “What’s going on, babe?”

"Just uh..got to period" she waved off, although made no attempt to move from the position she was currently in.

Toni made an understanding sound. “That sucks, babe. You okay? You want anything? Anything particularly bothering you? I’ll help.”

"I feel like crap" she confessed, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't normally cramp this bad."

“Oh, Cher,” Toni murmured, coming over and rubbing her girlfriend’s shoulder. “You wanna take some aspirin? Or I can get you a heat pack. Or we can cuddle, I don’t mind.”

"Cuddle please" she turned her head to look over at her girlfriend. "I always feel better when I'm in your arms."

Toni’s heart clenched happily. “Okay, beautiful. Cuddles it is.” She set her sandwich down on the side table and kicked her slippers off, sliding into the bed next to Cheryl and wrapping her thin arms around her girl’s warm waist.

Cheryl uncurled a little when Toni wrapped her arms around her, groaning a little as her pain intensified. She rested her arm on top of Toni's arms, pulling herself even closer into Toni's embrace.

Toni smiled gently down at her, snaking an arm down to rub gently at Cheryl’s stomach. “Scale of one to ten, baby, how bad’s the pain?"

Toni rubbing her stomach helped to ease the pain a bit, Cheryl stretching herself out a little to deepen the contact. She still wasn't used to anyone looking after her like this. "It's probably an 8 and a half" she groaned. "But keep doing that.. that's really helping T."

Toni pouted. “That’s shitty, my love. I’ll do this all day if it helps, okay?” She watched closely as Cheryl’s face scrunched up, pressing a kiss to her girlfriend’s head.

"You're too good to me" she hummed, tears welling in her eyes. She always got emotional during her period and Toni taking care of her like this made her feel _loved._

“No such thing as too good for my lil bombshell,” Toni smiled softly, wiping a stray tear from Cheryl’s cheek. “I love you, you know?”

"I love you too. More than anything else in this world TT."

Toni grinned. “Getting sentimental, Blossom?”

"Only for you" Cheryl smiled. "Always for you."

“Cutie,” Toni said, rubbing Cheryl’s stomach again. “You feeling any better? Or you want me to get anything?”

"Don't leave..please" Cheryl didn't want to leave Toni's warm embrace. She rested a hand over where Toni's was rubbing her stomach. "That feels nice."

“Good,” Toni hummed, pulling Cheryl carefully closer. She kept rubbing, murmuring softly into Cheryl’s head as the other girl closed her eyes contentedly.

"Your hands are like magic" Cheryl hummed, relaxing further into Toni's warmth.

Toni smiled, bringing her other hand up to tuck a red lock behind Cheryl’s ear, marvelling at her girlfriend’s beauty even when she’s sick. “I know, I’m amazing,” she teased. “Be grateful.”

Cheryl chuckled "Oh believe me I am" and she genuinely was. "I feel like this is a dream and I'm going to wake up in a minute."

“Maybe when you wake up you’ll feel better,” Toni laughed lightly. “You should try sleep, Cher.”

"Not right now" she pouted. She knew it was a stupid fear but the irrational part of her worried if she went to sleep, Toni wouldn't be by her side when she woke up.

“Okay,” Toni said, a light smile on her lips. “Do you want me to do anything? Is anything else the matter? Just the cramps? Not nauseous or headachey or migrainey?” She sounded dumb, she knew she did, but she wasn’t really used to Cheryl being sick and if she was being honest she was kind of worried.

"I do feel quite nauseous" she admitted "and my head is pounding a bit" the way she kept tensing was causing her neck and shoulder to become sore.

Toni sighed. “Oh, Cher,” she whispered. “I’d get you some tea for your stomach, but you don’t seem to want me to move,” she laughed softly. “So, I guess, just tell me if you’re gonna throw up?” _Wait, shit, that wasn’t the right thing to say._  “I mean - what can I do to help?”

"Your massages are always amazing. Will you give me one now? I think it might help my headache to go, and ease the ache in my back."

“Alright,” Toni said, smiling softly. She gently rolled Cheryl over and started to knead her thumbs and fingers into her girlfriend’s back, pressing deep into Cheryl’s muscles. “Feel okay?”

"Flawless mon petit amour, as always.." She tucked her hands under the pillow as Toni's hands moved across her back.

Toni nodded, never stopping her fingers as she leaned down to press a kiss to the back of Cheryl’s head. She kept going as the redhead sighed happily, looking up at her girlfriend.

"Toni?" She lifted her head off the pillow for a second to look at her girlfriend. "No one has ever taken care of me like you do."

Toni smiled down at her. “It’s my pleasure, babe. But hey - you gotta tell me when something’s wrong if you want me to help fix it, okay?”

"I'm the first to admit I'm not very good at that. Years of living with my she-devil of a mother mean I'm still learning that it's okay to say something is wrong without fear of being hurt or berated for it."

“It’s definitely okay,” Toni whispered. “Alright? I wanna know, Cher. I _want to know._  Got it?”

Cheryl nodded, burying her face into the pillow to hide the tears that welled in her eyes. She tried to cry quietly, but couldn't hide the gentle shake of her shoulders from her girlfriend's worried gaze.

Toni sighed, once again cursing the witch of a human that brought her girlfriend up. She stopped working her hands and instead slid them up Cheryl’s arms, falling into a heap next to the redhead and rolling her over so that Cheryl was facing her.

Cheryl allowed Toni to roll her over but couldn't quite bring herself to meet Toni's undoubtedly anxious eyes.

“Hey, look at me,” Toni murmured. “Look here, baby. It’s okay, alright, Cher? It’s okay to _feel._ ”

Cheryl's dark eyes flittered over Toni's face, still avoiding her eyes. "I'm trying, I just..I've kept so much inside for so long, I guess it's just a bad habit."

“I know, babe,” Toni said. “And I’m not upset or anything, I just - it’s _me_ , Cher. If nothing else, you can be you with me okay?”

Toni's loving words caused fresh tears to spill down Cheryl's cheeks. "Toni. You see the real me, _all_ of me and yet...you're still here and you still want me anyway."

“Of _course_ I am, Cher,” Toni whispered. “Cheryl, you’re my _girlfriend_ , okay? You’re my everything. I love you regardless. Alright?”

Cheryl nodded again, not trusting herself to speak just yet. "Me too."

Toni smiled, completely aware that Cheryl was emotionally unstable and willing to work around that. “How are you feeling now?”

"Better" she smiled, wrapping her arms around Toni. "You _always_  make me feel better."

"As do you. I can't..I can't imagine my life without you by my side."

“Me neither, baby girl,” Toni whispered, and she was surprise (and kind of embarrassed) to find tears pricking at her eyes. She swallowed and looked back at Cheryl. “God, we’re soppy.”

"Well, _someone_ told me that showing emotions was a good thing.." Cheryl teased, her hand coming up to cup Toni's cheek.

Toni let out a short laugh. “I’ve gotta stop influencing you, hey?” She muttered, bringing her hand to rest on Cheryl’s neck as the redhead moved slowly closer, her eyes smiling.

"Your influence has only been a positive in my life" she leaned closer, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss.

Toni sighed against Cheryl’s lips, smiling gently. “I don’t even know what to say at this point,” she said. “Only that I love you. And I’m so, _so_ proud of you."

"Thank you TT. You're the only person that's ever said that to me."

Toni wanted to scream at the last part of that sentence, but instead she leaned down and gently took Cheryl’s lips in hers again, trying to convey all the words she wanted to say in this one kiss.

"Being with you has made me a better person. You've helped me learn to discover who I am. You've also shown me love in a way like no one else _ever_ has."

Toni gave up and let a few tears fall down her face. “I...” _shit, how did she word this, why won’t her words work, uhhh._ “I want to be there for you. All the time. 24/7. I need you to let me and let me care for you. I want to show you every feeling you missed out on because of that _bitch_ and I want you to know exactly how loved you are, okay? Because, Cher, you’re perfect. You’re so freaking beautiful and funny and kind and I love you _so_ much.”

Cheryl couldn't hold in her emotions at Toni's words. Every single word was so heart felt, so honest, Cheryl had no idea how she had got so lucky that anyone could say those things about her and actually _mean_ them. "TT, _you're_ amazing. I was so awful to you when we first met, and yet..you looked past that, saw there was something more underneath and kept pushing until you found it. Everything about you makes me happy. And not just happy..I'm talking, beyond what I thought was ever humanly possibly to be. You brought light into my life when all I could see was darkness."

Toni found herself crying properly, gathering the taller girl close and pressing herself against Cheryl with a desperation hauntingly familiar to the both of them. It made her so happy that she could help Cheryl, that the relationship they had was more than a few quick kisses and holding hands in the hall. What she had with Cheryl was... different. Special. She looked down at the girl in her arms and felt her chest expand, almost as if her heart had grown double the size with love for the redhead. She didn’t trust herself to speak - at this rate, she was going to set a new record for most tears cried from love - from happiness.

Cheryl wrapped her arms around Toni even more, kissing her tears away as each new one skated down her cheeks. "You didn't just bring light into my life, you _are_ my light T."

Toni sobbed, but they were good tears, she swore. “Stop making me cry, you little jerk. I have a reputation to uphold. Badass gang member, remember? And... you’re my light too, Cher. My saving grace. I love you.”

"I could say the same thing. I dread to think what they'd say at school if Riverdale's very own HBIC was seen crying like this." She loved that her and Toni could be so open with each other though.

“Okay,” Toni said, wiping at her eyes. “So it’s agreed - no one finds out that we’re crying like babies because we have a strong, trusting relationship, because that’s cringey - but also really cute, and I really.... I’m really glad we can do this, Cher. I mean it. I’ve never been able to talk so... honestly to anyone else.”

"Neither have I" she admitted, although she was pretty sure Toni already knew that.

“Mm,” Toni agreed, leaning down once more, unable to help herself. She kissed Cheryl softly and then pulled back. “Love you.”

"Love you too.." she rolled over and snuggled into Toni, pulling Toni's arms around her, become the little spoon to Toni's big.

Toni nestled in tight against her, trailing her fingers softly up and down Cheryl’s hip bone, smiling at the way she and the redhead clicked.

"I could stay like this forever" Cheryl hummed, her eyes starting to close.

“Me too, babe,” Toni whispered. “Me too.” They both fell asleep, content and safe eachother's arms. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this!
> 
> If you enjoyed this, please show us some love by leaving a comment! 
> 
> If you have anything else you'd like us to write, please leave your prompt in a comment or via my tumblr theauthenticme2019.


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